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Highland Park High School Theatre Students Going Back to Scotland

When a student has a unique gift, a strong work ethic, and
an unbridled passion for their craft, it must be nurtured by their community.
Highland Park High School’s Scots Theatre Department is ripe with talented and
enthusiastic young actors, and their love for the theatre is evident when they
grace the stage. In fact, they shine so brightly that they have been invited-
for the second time- to represent Kansas at the American High School Theatre
Festival in Scotland.

In 2012, the Scots Theatre troupe was thrilled to be invited
to the festival in Edinburgh to show off their acting chops in an original, autobiographical
piece entitled “You Don’t Know Me. Scott Kickhaefer, Scots Theatre director,
says “Our calling card was the integrity of the piece, (because) it was really
about us. We were giving the people in Scotland, as well as the people in north
east Kansas, a real glimpse into Highland Park High School students, so it was
a very personal piece.”

It is very unusual to be invited back for a second time, but
the gifted drama students at Highland Park have managed to pull off this
remarkable feat. They are in the midst of planning their second trip, which
will take place this August and will coincide with the world’s largest
performing arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Fringe Festival
includes almost 22,000 performers in over 2,500 events that will entertain
about one million visitors. It is truly a remarkable opportunity for the
students to take part in, and it is a great honor to be selected to attend
again.

This year, the students wanted to take a different approach
to the piece they’re taking to Edinburgh. However, they still wanted to do
something original, so they commissioned Darren Canady, head of playwriting at the
University of Kansas and former Topeka High School student, to write a play
just for them. Darren is working with the students to gain insights into the
kids’ personalities to write the play. He wanted to find out who they were and
what kind of theatre they wanted to perform.

With 85% of Highland Park High School’s students on
free/reduced lunch plans, a trip like this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. In
fact, it is safe to say that this kind of excursion would be unattainable for
even middle and upper-middle class families. But the opportunity to travel to a
country on the other side of the planet, to indulge in the artistic and
creative process, and to meet other like-minded students from all over the
world, is sure to leave a deep impression on these young people, despite the
trip’s high price tag.

Seven students- none of whom attended the festival in 2012-
and three adults, including Scott Kickhaefer, are hoping to make the trip. The
cost is an understandable burden, at $6,500 per person, or $65,000 total, and
will require many months of planning to overcome. According to Kickhaefer, “We
couldn’t have gone in 2012 without the people of Topeka, without the community
providing such support, not only monetarily, but the fellowship they showed the
kids. It showed (the kids) that just because you’re living on the east side
doesn’t mean that we all don’t care about you.”Corey Jackson, a senior at Highland Park High School, explains the work
that is going into the planning of the trip. “Every day we’re working on our
trip… fundraising, meeting with (Darren Canady)… doing something Scotland-related. We’re working really hard to get
there.”

Kickhaefer, Jackson and the rest of the Scots Theatre team
are hoping their community will come through for them again this year. “We’re
looking for local businesses that want to partner with us for a tax-deductible
fundraiser. Anything they can do: a fundraiser night, donate supplies to help
us fundraise, or if you just want to donate, we will be very glad to work with
you,” said Jackson.

If you’re interested in helping these talented young people
embark on what is sure to be an amazing journey, visit the “Send the Scots 2
Scotland- Take II” Facebook page. We will also be posting fundraiser
information regularly, so be on the lookout for those updates. Let’s help our
TPS Scots Theatre Department achieve their dream!